


Breakfast and lunch

by LeeGale



Series: Ad lunam, ut amica, ut mi stultus [6]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Depression, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Kinda, M/M, Mishima is a badass, Mishima is a sad boi, Pining, Suicidal Thoughts, a little bit, there's a really sad bit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:22:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23664574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeeGale/pseuds/LeeGale
Summary: Mishima spends the night at Kurusu's, then hangs out with him at school. And he finaly takes a hint...
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Mishima Yuuki, Kurusu Akira/Mishima Yuuki, Mishima Yuuki/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Ad lunam, ut amica, ut mi stultus [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1695079
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42





	Breakfast and lunch

After dinner, Futaba asked Mishima and Kurusu if they wanted to play a few games of Mario Kart. Kurusu looked like he wanted to argue, but Futaba told him that Mishima could beat him easily, which made him look over at the bluenette.  
"I used to play a lot, so I'm pretty good," Mishima stated, ignoring how his heart skipped a beat when a challenging sparkle danced in Kurusu's eyes. The taller teen agreed then, leading the others up the stairs. Boss called after them, telling them not to stay up too late, to which Futaba replied by saying that they'd only do a few races. It was quiet for a long moment when the group got to Kurusu's room, all three eyeing the couch and wondering if they could fit. Mishima bit his lip before walking forward and examining the couch.  
"I could sit on the floor," he said, looking back at the other teens over his shoulder. Futaba frowned, rushing forward and taking a seat on one end of the couch, examining the remaining space before speaking up.  
"You can sit on the back of the couch! It'll be more comfortable than the floor or being squished..." she stated, looking over at Mishima. The bluenette hesitated, but Kurusu agreeing made him move towards the sofa. He carefully climbed onto the back, settling in the middle of the couch and taking the controller Futaba handed him. He stiffened slightly when Kurusu sat down, his shoulder brushing his thigh, but ignored it in favour of picking his character. It was quiet while they chose their racers and vehicles, but when it came to choosing a track, they argued for a while, only stopping when they agreed that they'd play three races and that they could all choose a track. They settled, starting the game...  
As they started the race, no one spoke. It soon became clear that Mishima and Kurusu were closer in skill than either were when compared to Futaba, battling it out for first place as Futaba trailed behind in third. Mishima was happily in the lead when he noticed a blur on the map. After a split-second decision, he let himself drop back, pretending that he accidentally hit a banana as he let Kurusu get first place. Patience... Patience... The blue shell hit Kurusu and Mishima used the chance to fly in front of him, grinning when he got into first and passed the finishing line, winning the race easily.  
"Holy shit!" Futaba almost yelled, grinning when she managed to get second place before looking up to Mishima, "That was awesome, Yuuki!"  
Mishima's cheeks flushed slightly, unused to praise as Futaba started to ramble about she'd heard of people doing what he had before, but none of the people she played against before had ever been good enough. The bluenette smiled slightly at her, but his smile became a little forced when Kurusu spoke up.  
"'Yuuki'? Since when were you two on first name bases?" he asked, frowning slightly. Mishima felt a hint of panic, worried about how Kurusu would feel about him becoming friends with Futaba (which he could barely believe, but she had told him by her given name so that had to be right) before the ginger girl piped up.  
"Since we had a heart-to-heart about our shitty childhoods. And how you saved our lives," she stated, looking at the TV as she picked the track she wanted to do next. Mishima made an awkward face and gently kicked Futaba's side, glaring at her when she looked up. She tilted her head to the side, confused, before making an understanding face and wincing slightly, "He didn't know that he saved your life."  
"Well, that's not exactly something you can just tell someone," Mishima replied, rolling his eyes before looking at Kurusu and rubbing his neck shyly, "I... Uh... Sorry? I..."  
"How did I save your life?" Kurusu asked, frowning as he looked Mishima straight in the eye. The bluenette hesitated before sighing, ducking his head.  
"Kamoshida..." he whispered, expanding when Kurusu asked him to, "There was every chance he might have killed me, eventually..."  
Kurusu's frown deepened as he examined Mishima, who was rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. It was quiet for a long moment before Kurusu sighed and stood. Mishima tensed, watching Kurusu closely as he rounded the sofa. Kurusu seemed to hesitate before pulling Mishima into a hug, not letting go until the bluenette hugged back. Which he did, curling his arms around the taller teen and resting his chin on the crown of Kurusu's head. They stayed like that for a long while, Mishima blushing brightly as Kurusu nuzzled into his neck, before Futaba spoke up.  
"I get that you two are massively gay for each other, but can we game now?" she asked, smirking up at the hugging boys. Mishima let go off Kurusu so quickly he might as well have been burnt, blush darkening as he glared down at Futaba, who had started cackling. Mishima kicked her, mumbling about how 'that would never happen, stop being annoying', and she just smirked up at him as Kurusu returned to his seat.  
"What makes you think that?" Futaba asked, her smirking staying as she focused on the game. The boys followed her lead, starting the race as Mishima replied.  
"Because Kurusu obviously has a crush on Takamaki," he stated, and that made Kurusu mess up, hitting a wall and falling from second place to fifth. Mishima risked a glance at him to make sure he was okay before looking back at the game.  
"I don't have a crush on Ann," Kurusu argued, pouting slightly, "She's not my type..."  
"Sure. Because you totally don't stare at her a lot and smile all fondly or anything like that. Totally," Mishima snarked, ignoring how his heart ached at the thought as he dropped back so the AI in second place would be hit by a blue shell before regaining the lead. Kurusu was quiet for a long moment and Mishima knew that he had been right. His brain supplied the fact that he would never be good enough for Kurusu, that Takamaki was more on his level, that Kurusu deserved someone a million times better than him, that-  
"I'm gay, Mishima," Kurusu stated, distracting the bluenette enough that he almost hit a banana. Almost. He had to swerve to the side at the last second, but he managed to dodge it, even as his heart thumped in his chest. He crossed the finish line not even five seconds later, so he put his controller down as he looked down at Kurusu. The taller teen finished his race moments later, putting his controller on the seat too and looking up at Mishima. The pair stared at each other for a long moment before Mishima smiled slightly, shaking his head and grabbing his controller again.  
"Good to know I'm not the only queer in our class," he stated, smirking slightly as he thought of something, "To commemorate our gayness, we're playing Rainbow Road."  
That earned a groan from Futaba, but the smile Kurusu sent him made up for the girl's complaining...  
-=-=-=-=-=  
Hours later, after Boss and Futaba had already left, Mishima lay awake on Kurusu's futon, staring out of the window. He couldn't help it as his mind went over everything that had happened since Kurusu had transferred to his school. Kamoshida. The Phantom Thieves. The Phansite. Kurusu. His parents. Futaba. Kurusu... A quiet meow caught his attention. He looked down at the end of the futon, blinking in surprise when he saw Kurusu's cat standing there, staring at him. Something about the cat seemed like it was peering into his soul... At least, until it meowed again and walked up his body, curling up on his chest. For a long moment, Mishima didn't move, but the cat meowing had him gently petting it. A quiet purr came from it -him, Mishima corrected himself, the cat was a boy called Morgana- as the teen continued his ministrations. In the quiet of the night, the warmth the cat provided him, the quiet purring, the gentle vibrations... It was calming. The bluenette rarely found anything calming, too used to having to be alert to protect himself, but in the safety of Kurusu's room, he felt at peace...  
That was it, wasn't it? Kurusu helped calm Mishima. He was a strong person, always looking out for everyone, always peaceful, always willing to help... It was what had made Mishima pay so much attention to him. After Kamoshida, Mishima cared because Kurusu had helped him, but somewhere along the line, his feelings had changed. Kurusu was no longer just the person that had saved him, he was the person that continued to save him. Mishima knew. He knew that it was a miracle that he hadn't ended up like Suzui, up on that roof with nowhere else to go... He had considered it so many times. Before Suzui had tried, more after that (because he felt so guilty dammit. It should never have been her up there...), even now. Thoughts like that had been in his head since back at junior high, back when he was bullied so much that he had no friends and was constantly alone. They never left him, always at the edge of his mind, suppressed but not gone...  
They were less frequent now, though, and Mishima knew why. He no longer had Kamoshida and so many bullies in his life, for one, but it was more than that. It was Kurusu. The other teen had made Mishima feel like he mattered, even if the bluenette refused to see that they were friends. Kurusu hadn't hated him for letting his desires get distorted, for falling into the trap of popularity. Kurusu had supported him, helping him with quiet words and soft smiles. Kurusu had accepted him, helping him grow and change and become someone new, become somebody.  
And, sure, those thoughts lingered. They never truly left, but they weren't as bad as they used to be. Mishima no longer dreaded waking up every morning, he no longer thought about just how easy it would be to jump in front of his train or off of a building (well, not as much), he no longer hated life. He knew that he still had more healing to do, that he was still broken and not good enough, but he also knew that maybe, just maybe, he could be...  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
Mishima woke when an alarm started blaring. He was instantly upright, reaching for his phone and turning his alarm off. When he looked around, he was confused for a split second before remembering. He'd spent the night at Kurusu's... A quiet groan from Kurusu's bed caught his attention, and he winced slightly. He knew he woke earlier than most, so his alarm had probably disturbed Kurusu... After a moment, Kurusu's breathing returned to normal, so Mishima released his own breath. He hadn't woke the other, so he carefully and quietly stood. After a moment of hesitation, he packed the futon away and folded his blanket up, placing it on Kurusu's sofa before sneaking over to where he'd left his bag the night before. He grabbed it before tiptoeing down the stairs, freezing when he saw Boss already at the counter. The older man looked up when he heard movement, relaxing when he saw that it was Mishima.  
"Hey, kid. Get dressed and I'll make you breakfast," he said, smiling slightly. Mishima hesitated before nodding, walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind him. With a sigh, he put his bag on the floor (he was thankful that Boss kept on top of cleaning in his cafe), rummaging through it to find his school clothes. He did after a moment, placing them on top of his bag and making sure his shoes were next to it before doing his business. Once he was done, he washed his hands and started to undress. He felt his cheeks heat up slightly as he remembered that he was wearing the spare pyjamas Kurusu had lent him but ignoring that as he redressed quickly. He carefully folded Kurusu's clothes before grabbing them, along with his bag and shoes, and exiting the bathroom. He smiled shyly at Boss, placing his bag on a seat and his shoes next to it before gesturing with the clothes to upstairs. Boss nodded, telling him to go, so he did. He moved silently up the stairs, quietly placing the clothes on top of the blanket he had used before promptly almost tripping on Kurusu's cat, who meowed loudly at him. He froze, glancing at Kurusu before carefully lifting the cat. Morgana seemed to want to fight him, so he whispered to him as they went down the stairs.  
"Let Kurusu sleep... He seems so tired..." that seemed to calm Morgana, the cat nuzzling into Mishima's side. The teen carefully put him on the floor when they got downstairs, smiling slightly when Morgana purred before running off to do whatever weird cats did.  
"Eat up," Boss ordered, plating some curry up for Mishima. The teen wanted to argue, but the older man sent him such a parental look that he found himself sitting without complaint. He started to eat quietly as Boss started to make some coffee.  
"I never asked how you like your coffee..." Boss stated, looking at Mishima over his shoulder. The teen stopped eating for a moment so he could reply, knowing the man wouldn't let him go without a drink.  
"No milk, two sugars if you're using a common blend," he replied, earning a surprised look from Boss.  
"You know about different blends?" he asked, and Mishima nodded. The teen was withdrawn as he was assaulted with memories of inky black hair, gentle eyes full of hate and disgust, warm, welcoming hands raised and hurting...  
"You okay, kid?" Boss queried, placing a cup of coffee next to his plate. Mishima startled, flinching away and looking up at Boss with wide eyes. The older man hadn't expected that reaction, jumping back at the sudden movement, watching as Mishima relaxed slightly (he was still tense. He was always so tense...).  
"I... Sorry, I was lost in thought..." the teen replied, internally cursing himself as he forced a smile to grace his face. Boss didn't look convinced, but he didn't press as he drank from his own coffee. They were quiet for a while, Mishima eating as silently as he could and Boss unsure what to say. As soon as Mishima was finished, Boss took his plate and cup to the sink, ignoring the teen as he made a complaining noise.  
"Sir! Shouldn't I do that, as thanks for your hospitality?" Mishima asked, already standing, but Boss just laughed him off.  
"It's okay, kid," the older man smiled slightly at Mishima over his shoulder, "You're a guest. You don't need to do anything."  
Mishima couldn't stop frowning as he returned to his seat, so Boss sighed when he turned around and saw him. The older man hesitated for half a second before sighing again and speaking, "Tell you what. If not helping makes you that uncomfortable, you can make Akira his coffee when he wakes up. If you know how to."  
Mishima smiled at that, thankful that he could be useful as he examined the coffee maker Boss had.  
"I can do that! How does he usually have it?" he replied, looking up at Boss. The older man raised an eyebrow at his enthusiasm but didn't comment on it as he rattled off how Kurusu preferred his coffee. The pair fell quiet again before Boss turned the TV on. They both watched it for a long moment, but Mishima felt his skin crawl when the channel started to replay an interview Akechi had done (the one when he said he didn't blame the Phantom Thieves for Okumura's death). He must have made some sort of face because Boss quickly changed that channel, flipping it onto one of those music channels. Mishima blinked in surprise at him, only to see that he was scowling.  
"I don't get why Akira is letting him hang out him with you guys... He hates you." Boss almost growled, and Mishima raised an eyebrow before realising what he meant.  
"You know about Kurusu and the others?" he asked, earning a slightly puzzled look from Boss.  
"Yeah, I know about you guys," he replied, a hint of hesitation in his tone. Mishima was confused for a split second before figuring out the assumption Boss had made.  
"Oh! I'm not one of them. I just help out..." he corrected, ignoring how his heart ached (again. That was all he did. Ignore his emotions) at the reminder that he wasn't one of them. Boss tilted his head to the side, frowning, so Mishima continued, "I just run the Phansite."  
"The what?" Boss asked, moving to sit on one of the bar stools, watching Mishima closely.  
"The website that people send requests for the others to." Mishima replied, shrugging, "I set it up after Kurusu and Sakamoto, and probably Takamaki, stopped Kamoshida."  
"The teacher from your school that hurt his students, right? The one Niijima said abused you?" Boss asked, and Mishima flinched away from him, almost falling off of his stool, only for the older man to grab his arm and stop him. The bluenette hesitated, looking down before nodding.  
"I... They saved all of us, and I was the only one who figured them out, so I knew that I had to help them in some way..." he replied, sighing as he looked out at the window, a small, melancholic smile tugging at his lips, "I'm not one of them, but I do everything I can to help..."  
Boss didn't seem to know what to say to that, so he changed the subject, "Can I see your 'Phansite'?"  
Mishima nodded, pulling his phone out and showing the site to Boss. The frown the older man wore made him take his phone back, swearing at what he saw. He'd done nothing on the site at lunch, last night or after school, so he was behind on it all...  
"It never used to be like this," he said as he started to delete the hate comments that were flooding the site, "It's just... People blame them for Okumura's death, and lots of people came to the site to talk shit about them..."  
He fell quiet as he got immersed in deleting the negative comments, leaving the ones that were actual requests or were support. He felt his heart squeeze at each cynical word, each nasty comment, each vile person who hated the Phantom Thieves... He ignored it as he continued to work, frowning down at his phone. However, he didn't have anything to frown at a moment later, when Boss took his phone from his hands. He tried to argue, but the look Boss sent him made him shut up.  
"You handle all of this shit by yourself?" he asked, looking down at the last comment Mishima had highlighted and frowning (it was a particularly mean one, which said that all of the Phantom Thieves and their supporters deserved to be executed. And it made a point of including Mishima, as the site admin, in it...) before looking up at the teen. Mishima shrugged.  
"I'm used to that kinda thing. And I don't want the others to know just how bad their former 'fans' are now." he almost snarled on the second sentence, forcing himself to remain as calm as he could. Boss's frown deepened as he examined Mishima.  
"You're used to people saying you should be dead?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Mishima froze, but the sound of movement had him looking over his shoulder. Kurusu. The older teen looked pale and upset, and Mishima knew that he had heard what Boss had just asked. The teens stared at each other for a long moment before Kurusu stepped closer, reaching out and placing a soft hand on Mishima's shoulder.  
"Who?" he asked, and Mishima forced his heart to calm and ignore how Kurusu was looking at him and him alone.  
"Just some stupid P-Thief haters. No one important." Mishima replied, shrugging, but Kurusu didn't stop frowning.  
"Before them. Who made it so that you're used to people saying you should be dead?" he pressed, and Mishima ignored how his heart skipped a beat in favour of sending him a flat look. It Kurusu a moment to realise, but his eyes flashed darkly when he did, "The kids who bullied you and Kamoshida."  
Mishima sighed, rubbing his forehead before muttering out a quiet, "It's too early for this level of emotional vulnerability..."  
"With you, there rarely is time for emotional vulnerability," Kurusu commented, and Mishima just shrugged. He knew that Kurusu wasn't wrong, but he also knew that it wasn't something he could easily fix on his own...  
"Akira, why don't you just sit and eat?" Boss piped up, giving the taller teen a meaningful look before focusing on Mishima, "You said you'd make his coffee, right?"  
Mishima jumped to his feet, smiling at the older man as he moved to the coffee maker. Kurusu watched silently as Boss plated him up some curry, eyes following Mishima. The bluenette was oblivious as he made quick work of Kurusu's coffee, acting efficiently and calling out to Boss.  
"Would you like a drink?" he asked, glancing at the older man over his shoulder. Boss hesitated for half a second before telling Mishima how he liked his coffee. The teen nodded, making both coffees with ease. Once he was done, he placed them in front of the other two, standing awkwardly as he awaited their verdicts. Boss took a sip of his first, raising an eyebrow before taking another sip and smiling.  
"Damn kid. You're good. Better than Akira," he stated, causing Mishima to blush slightly as he ducked his head and rubbed the back of his neck.  
"Yuuri did always say I had a natural knack for brewing..." he muttered, smiling shyly. Kurusu took a sip of his drink, humming happily, as Boss spoke up.  
"Yuuri?" he asked, his brow scrunching up when Mishima visibly stiffened. The teen brushed it off with a smile, ignoring the flashes of memory that danced at the edge of his mind.  
"An old friend. He and his parents taught me how to make coffee, and about the different blends," he replied, shrugging slightly. Boss looked like he wanted to press, but Morgana meowing up at him stole Mishima's attention. The teen leant down and picked up the cat, who instantly nuzzled into his neck. That drew a surprised look from both Boss and Kurusu.  
"Huh. That cat isn't usually so affectionate..." Boss commented, tilting his head to the side. Mishima shrugged slightly, smiling down at Morgana and petting him behind the ear.  
"I like cats, and they like me..." he stated, smile growing when Morgana started to purr. It was true, really. For some reason, cats just seemed to love Mishima, and he loved them back (partially because they were too damn cute, but also cause they were easier to deal with than humans). Boss and Kurusu continued to look surprised, but neither said anything as Kurusu finished eating and they both finished their coffees. When they were done, Mishima offered to wash up, but Boss said to just keep Morgana occupied until Kurusu was ready to leave, so the teen just sat at a booth. Morgana curled up in his lap, purring loudly when he stroked the back of his head, and Kurusu went upstairs to get ready. As he did, Boss washed up the dishes before starting to make some sandwiches.  
"Anything in particular you want in yours?" he asked, catching Mishima's attention. The teen frowned, befuddled, but Boss gestured at the sandwiches and he understood.  
"Oh! I... You don't need to do that! I'll just eat when I get home or pick something up before school," he argued, but the look Boss fixed him with had him regretting that.  
"Kid, until you have a steady income, you should accept all the free food you're offered. And you're not being a bother. And you should never skip a meal, even if you plan to eat later. So, what do you want in your lunchbox?" the older man stated, finishing on the sandwich he was making. Mishima knew that he wouldn't take no for an answer, so he just said that whatever would be easiest would be fine. Boss rolled his eyes at that but didn't argue, instead making him a lunchbox the exact same as Kurusu's. He then carried it over to the teen, telling him to give the box back to Kurusu after lunch before returning to the counter. The room was quiet again, the only noise that of whatever was playing on the TV and Morgana's purrs. It was peaceful...  
Kurusu walked down the stairs a few minutes later, carrying his own school bag and one Mishima recognised as the bag he had used to bring his laptop over on Sunday.  
"It would probably be safer for you to leave your laptop here and come back after school to pick it up, but it's up to you," Kurusu declared, and Mishima hesitated. He had actually been planning on seeing if he could come back after school, so he could talk to Boss... He turned to the man in question.  
"I... After school, would it be alright for me to come by, to discuss your offer from yesterday?" he asked, and Boss blinked in surprise before smiling and nodding.  
"Course kid. You can leave your laptop 'til then," he replied, and Mishima smiled brightly. A soft 'thank you' fell from his tongue as Morgana jumped off of his lap, jumping into his open bag. He blinked in surprise, glancing up at Kurusu before looking down at the cat.  
"I think you should go with Kurusu, Morgana," he stated, but the cat meowed, annoyed, as he settled further into Mishima's bag. The bluenette frowned, sighing as he picked the cat up, ignoring how Morgana dug his claws into his skin as he lifted him until they were at eye level, "You need to go with Kurusu. I would probably accidentally hurt you if I carried you since I'm not used to you. You don't want me to accidentally hurt you, do you?"  
The cat visibly hesitated at that before almost sighing, nuzzling Mishima's cheek sweetly. The teen smiled and passed him to Kurusu, who looked confused but took the cat anyway. From there, Morgana jumped into Kurusu's bag, but he kept his eyes on Mishima. The bluenette smiled wider, crouching and petting the cat for a moment. He stood and grabbed his bag before slipping his shoes on. He looked up at Kurusu who was watching him closely.  
"Do I have something on my face?" he asked when he realised Kurusu was staring, tilting his head and rubbing at his cheek self-consciously.  
Kurusu looked away, leaning down and making sure his bag was okay before lifting it up onto his shoulder, muttering a quiet, "I was just thinking..."  
Mishima watched him, curious as to why he was acting so weirdly but didn't press as he put the lunchbox Boss had given him into his bag, zipping it up and smiling slightly. He turned to the older man, thanking him and promising to return the box when he came back later. Boss waved him off, saying he didn't mind and telling them both to have a good day. Mishima smiled at him one more time before looking over at Kurusu.  
"You ready to go? Or do you usually leave later?" he asked, tilting his head curiously. Kurusu just headed for the door, calling goodby to Boss as he left, so Mishima followed him silently. The pair didn't speak as the walked to the train station, only talking enough for Mishima to get a train ticket (Kurusu had a pass, so he didn't need to buy one), but they started to talk again whilst they waited for the train.  
"You can always talk to me, you know?" Kurusu asked softly, watching Mishima as he stared out across the train tracks. The bluenette was surprised by the sudden sound of his voice but hide it behind a smile as he turned to face the other teen.  
"I... Thanks," he replied, smiling sweetly before tilting his head and frowning slightly, "It's not my place but... The same goes for you, okay?"  
Kurusu blinked at him for a moment before smiling, nodding as he stepped closer. Mishima looked up, keeping eye contact for a long while, only looking away when their train pulled into the stop. When they got on, they actually managed to find a seat, and Mishima insisted Kurusu take it. The taller teen looked like he wanted to argue, but Mishima gently pushing him into the seat made him shut up. Instead, he pouted, and Mishima smiled slightly at him. Neither said anything for a while, but there was suddenly a rush of people on the train and Mishima was jostled onto Kurusu's lap. He blushed brightly and tried to stand, but there wasn't space. As much as he tried, he couldn't stand at all, so Kurusu just placed a soothing hand on his shoulder.  
"It's okay, Mishima," he said, smiling slightly up at Mishima. The sight (paired with the almost blush dusting Kurusu's cheeks, which had to stem from the fact that people were staring at them) made something funny burn in Mishima's gut, but he ignored it as he hesitated before relaxing slightly, no longer fighting his new seat. Neither spoke, both unsure what to say, not even as they finally got off of the train. They were silent as they walked to school, too, but it was weirdly comfortable... At least, until they ran into Okumura. She smiled sweetly at the pair, but Mishima could feel how he was separate from them both instantly. He wasn't a Phantom Thief, he was just a side character, an NPC as Futaba had rightly guessed when they first met... He ignored those thoughts as Okumura turned to him.  
"I was not aware that you and Akira walked together!" she stated, smiling brightly, and Mishima felt awkward. He wanted to correct her, but saying he had slept at Kurusu's felt weird, strange, and like she may judge him...  
"We had a sleepover," Kurusu stated, smiling slightly at Mishima, reassuringly, "He beat me in Mario Kart."  
Mishima smiled back, relaxing slightly as Okumura just nodded and spoke joyfully, "Oh! It's excellent that you two are such close friends."  
Mishima wanted to argue, say that Kurusu wouldn't want to be friends with him of all people, but the taller teen cut him off, sending him a look that suggested he knew what he had planned to say, "Mishima was one of my first friends when I moved here."  
Mishima blinked at that, raising an eyebrow, but Kurusu just smiled at him, seemingly confident with what he had said... The bluenette realised that, maybe, he'd been an idiot and Kurusu had considered him a friend for a long time...  
"Really? But you both use each other's family names..." Okumura seemed confused, so Mishima let a half-lie fall from his tongue.  
"That's because I have issues connecting to people. And trusting them..." it wasn't a lie in the sense that Mishima did have connection and trust issues, but they were still using family names because Mishima had been a dumbass and hadn't believed that Kurusu would want to be his friend. Okumura nodded, smiling brightly.  
"That makes sense," she replied, shrugging delicately, "Although I am curious as to why you have such issues. If you do not mind me prying, of course."  
Mishima did mind, but he also knew that the (at least the main one) reason was fairly obvious, so he sent Okumura a flat look. She seemed to be confused still, so he sighed and spoke, "I used to be a part of the volleyball team."  
That made a look of understanding cross Okumura's face as she ducked her head, rattling off apologies, but Mishima just brushed her off, telling her that it was fine and she had no need to be sorry. The trio fell quiet after that, only speaking when Okumura had to leave them to get to her class. The boys continued, but Mishima started to deflate when people stared at them and started to whisper. He couldn't help it as his brain supplied that everyone only treated Kuruu as they did because he had been too weak to fight against Kamoshida, that it was his fault and that he didn't deserve Kurusu saying they were friends. Speak of the devil, and he shall talk.  
"You're uncomfortable being seen with me," he stated as they got to their class. Mishima instantly looked up, an argument on his tongue, but the look on Kurusu'sface made him pause. The taller teen may have seemed no different than normal to an outsider, but Mishima knew better. His eyes were narrowed slightly, brow scrunched up and lips drawn tight, and Mishima realised why he may have felt that way. They reached Mishima desk before he responded, forcing himself to smile as he looked Kurusu directly in the eye (well, he actually looked directly into Kurusu's left eye, but that's beside the point).  
"Of course, I'm not uncomfortable hanging out with you!" he insisted, continuing even as Kurusu frowned deeper, "I just... I don't like all of the utter bullshit people say about you. It annoys me."  
Kurusu blinked at that, but Mishima was a little busy listening in on what his classmates were saying. There weren't many people in the room, so they had all heard what he said... He ignored that as he continued, "Contrary to what everyone seems to think due to unsolicited rumours, you're awesome! You're nothing like what they all think, and it irritates me that they don't bother getting to know you, that they think they know all about you even though they've never even spoken to you and don't have all the facts about why you have a criminal record!"  
Kurusu seemed to pick up on the fact that they had an audience, smirking slightly as he sat on the edge of Mishima's desk, "And what facts don't they have?"  
"That the charges were trumped up! It's not your fault that some creepy guy tried to rape a woman and that you didn't let it happen! You were only arrested because he had the local police, the judge, the jury and the witness in his pocket!" Mishima replied, agitation sneaking into his tone as he pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. Kurusu blinked in surprise, his mouth slightly agape as he looked up at Mishima.  
"I never told you that I thought it was bribery..." he stated, his words causing a small wave of confusion to come from the classmates that were present. Mishima sent him a small smile, rolling his eyes.  
"Anyone with a brain can figure that out if they actually listen to your side of the story!" he countered, earning a proper smile from Kurusu, who hummed a note of agreement. Mishima relaxed, smile growing as he put his bag down and pulled his pencil case out, stating, "Anyone who assumes you're a bad guy based on some rumours isn't worth your time or effort, but it still pisses me off."  
That caused a little bit of a stir, no one having heard Mishima swear before, and none of them had ever seen him so passionate before... Kurusu smiled at him, eyes soft and warm. It made Mishima's heart skip a beat, but he ignored his feelings in favour of smiling back, but their little bubble was promptly shattered by Takamki walking over.  
"Why is it so quiet in here?" she asked, looking around at their confused classmates.  
"Mishima was just telling me about how angry people believing the rumours about me makes him, and I think everyone heard," Kurusu replied, causing Takamaki to look at Mishima, surprised. The bluenette shrugged, smiling slightly.  
"I stand by it. Nobody deserves to have people hate them for unfounded rumours," he replied, but all further conversation was cut off by a new voice.  
"Unfounded? The guy's criminal record was posted all over the net!" one of the boys in their class, Ito Eiji, snarled, and Mishima almost backed down. Almost. If it had been him Ito was insulting, he would have, but Kurusu? The same person that kept him alive? The one that saved him and the rest of the student body from Kamoshida? And saved so many others? He couldn't sit by when people talked shit about him. Standing and glaring up at the taller teen, he spoke.  
"I am aware. But are you aware of all the details of that court ruling?" he kept his voice steady, but it was lower than normal, darker, and Ito could hear it if the way his eyes widened were anything to go by. The taller teen didn't speak, so Mishima continued, "Were you aware that the only witness to the crime Kurusu supposedly committed was a woman who never gave a statement, instead going off on a luxury holiday? Which she never would have been able to afford before the trial, so I wonder where she got the money from. Or that the supposed victim never had his name or face revealed, which points to someone rich and powerful being involved? Which could imply that some bribes were involved? After all, the only witness, the judge, and everyone on the jury seemed much better off after the trail... Or that all of the security footage of the event was somehow 'unavailable'? That sort of implies that the cameras may have been tampered with, don't you think?"  
Mishima fell quiet as he allowed Ito to process what he had said, continuing after a moment, "If you wish to be so vile to another person, maybe check all of your facts first."  
He went to turn, to ignore Ito, but he saw a fist moving at him from the corner of his eye and ducked, grabbing it before it could hit anyone. He turned and raised an eyebrow at Ito, leaning up slightly and whispering into Ito's ear, "Kurusu never actually hurt anyone. He probably doesn't know how to. But I do. So, maybe don't try either of us or any of our friends again, okay?"  
As he pulled back, he could see the way Ito's eyes were wider than they had been before and he could feel the way his hand shook, so he let go, smiling sweetly, "Have we reached an agreement, Ito-kun?"  
Ito nodded slightly, moving away so quickly he nearly fell over the chair behind him. Mishima watched him go, glaring, before turning back to Kurusu and Takamaki, who were both watching him with surprise. He felt a rush of self-consciousness as he rubbed the back of his neck, muttering a quiet, "Stop staring at me like that..."  
Takamaki was the first to snap out of it, grinning brightly at Mishima as she started to gush, "Oh. My. God! Ito-kun has been harassing loads of students lately, but you dealt with him so easily! How did you dodge his punch? You were so quick, it was almost a blur!"  
Mishima blushed brightly, ducking his head as Takamaki continued to talk, but Kurusu touching his shoulder had him looking up. The taller teen was smiling slightly, softly, and Mishima's heart skipped a beat as his cheeks flushed a shade darker.  
"Thank you," Kurusu whispered, eyes warm as he watched Mishima. The bluenette wanted to say it was nothing, but Kawakami walking in forced Kurusu and Takamaki to their seats as he sat. As classes for the day started, Mishima couldn't help the joy that danced in his heart, proud of himself for finally standing up for Kurusu, for his friend...  
-=-=-=-=  
Throughout class, people kept whispering. For once, it wasn't some silly gossip or new rumour, but the story of how Mishima stood up for Kurusu and stopped Ito hurting anyone. The bluenette felt self-conscious but proud as people talked, hiding it as he worked like normal. At lunch, though, he changed his usual habit, tugging his bag onto his back and walking over to Kurusu's desk.  
"Uh... Would you like to eat lunch outside? Together?" he asked shyly, smiling brightly when Kurusu agreed. His smile became a little bit less natural when Takamaki asked if she could join, but he and Kurusu agreed anyway. Takamaki grinned and pulled out her phone, asking where they would eat and if she should invite Niijima, Sakamoto and Okumura. Mishima hesitated. he had actually wanted to just hang out with Kurusu... He couldn't say no, though, since it would have been selfish, so he agreed, and told Takamaki to get ask the others to meet by the vending machines in the middle of campus. When Takamaki got a wave of agreement from the others, the trio headed off to the meeting spot.  
"Did you have somewhere, in particular, you wanted to eat at, Mishima?" Takamaki asked as they neared the vending machines. He had had somewhere he'd wanted to show Kurusu, a little place he found that was safe and secret... Instead, he changed his plans, deciding he'd have to show Kurusu that spot some other time and that he'd take the others somewhere else.  
"I know just the place," he replied, smiling slightly at Takamaki. They stopped at the vending machine, but the other three all arrived within a minute of them, so they set off again, Mishima leading them. He was quiet as he walked, glancing around to make sure no one tried anything as he led the others to the spot he had in mind. Thankfully, no one was there. Mishima came to a stop, smiling when the girls looked around in surprise. He had to admit that they were right when they started gushing about how pretty the spot was. It was just a small patch of grass, tucked away behind some trees, separate enough that they wouldn't be disturbed but close enough to a building that they'd hear the bell when it went off. There were flowers growing at the edge of the area, bright blossoms that complimented the darker grass beautifully. Mishima smiled slightly, moving so he could sit in his usual spot (a little nook in the roots of one of the biggest trees, which was comfortable but also gave him a clear view of the main entrance to the area). Everyone followed, settling down and looking around.  
"How did you find this place? It's so... peaceful..." Niijima asked, and Mishima smiled slightly at her as he took out the lunchbox Boss had given him.  
"I was being chased by some bullies and ran through here. The trees are pretty easy to climb and the foliage is thick enough to hide in. After that, it sorta... became my safe haven," he explained, rolling his eyes when the others frowned, "Don't worry, I'm not being bullied by those guys any more."  
Everyone was quiet for a long moment before Okumura spoke up, smiling brightly, "I apologies if I am pressing uncomfortably, but you had to leave early on Sunday and weren't in on Monday or Tuesday. I do not know about yesterday, but I have to ask why that was."  
All of the other teens in the group tensed, but Mishima just smiled a little sadly before replying.  
"I got a call on Saturday saying my parents died. I had to leave to go to the hospital, then spend the next couple of days sorting out the funeral and such," he explained, telling Okumura it was fine when she apologised for asking. She looked hesitant, so Mishima sighed and continued, "It's alright. Really."  
"I... Well, I can't say I was overly fond of my father, and I never knew my mother, but... I am here if you wish to talk?" she phrased it like a statement, but her tone was uncertain. Mishima was about to tell her that he was fine, that he didn't need help, but Sakamoto and Niijima both piper up, echoing her statement, so he just smiled and said he'd keep it in mind. Of course, he had no intentions of actually saying anything to them, but the sentiment was nice... It was quiet for a long moment before Sakamoto piped up.  
"Hey! How come you two have the same lunch?" he asked, looking between Kurusu and Mishima. The bluenette stiffened, worried, but Kurusu just smiled and said Mishima had spent the night at his. Sakamoto looked at the bluenette before pouting.  
"I've never spent the night at yours..." he muttered, but it was obvious that there was a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Kurusu rolled his eyes but didn't comment, and Sakamoto was back to normal a second later, ranting about this really cute person he had seen. He used they/them pronouns, which everyone picked up on instantly Takamaki asked why he was doing that, and he replied that you shouldn't just assume someone's gender identity based on their gender expression, which made Takamaki pause. In fact, the only one that didn't pause was Mishima, who made a sound of agreement around his mouthful of sandwich. Sakamoto sent him a smile before continuing on his rant. Mishima sat back and smiled, finishing his food and putting his lunchbox back into his bag before watching the others interact. Strangely enough, he didn't feel like an outsider...  
"Yo, Mishima!" Sakamoto called, catching the bluenette's attention and continuing when he had it, "There's a rumour going around that you stood up for Akira. That true?"  
Mishima was about to say that he hadn't really done anything, but Takamaki cut him off with, "He did! I'm not sure what he said before I got to class, but it was really quiet when I did. Akira said he'd been talking about how angry he was at the rumours, and that everyone heard. And while we were talking, Ito Eiji, that jerk who's been causing problems recently, walked over and tried to argue. Mishima put him in his place, but he didn't like it, so he took a swing, but Mishima dodged his punch and grabbed his fist. He then leaned up, told Ito-kun something I couldn't hear, leaned back and pretty much told Ito-kun to go away!"  
There was a moment of quiet, during which Mishima blushed brightly, before Sakamoto turned towards him, "That's awesome dude! How did you manage to dodge him?"  
"I... Uh... I've been doing mixed martial arts and boxing since the volleyball team got shut down," Mishima replied, shrugging. The others gaped at him, but Kurusu was the first to speak up.  
"Could you teach us? With our extracurricular activities, it could be useful..." he asked, and Mishima had to ignore the image that conjured into his mind (an image of Kurusu, hot and sweaty, pinned under him as they sparred...) as he thought about it.  
"I... I'm not sure if I'd be a very good teacher..." he argued weakly, but he knew he'd do it if Kurusu pressed, which he did.  
"Please?" the taller teen asked softly, eyes wider than normal, and Mishima felt himself cave, but he had to act strong.  
"I... I already barely have time to run the Phansite, taking time off to help you guys will reduce what time I do have even further..." he muttered, but he was countered half a second later.  
"Futaba can help with the site! She's really good with tech and shit!" Sakamoto suggested, and Mishima felt a stab of something at that. He didn't want anyone else taking over his site, his baby, but he knew that Futaba would do a better job of it than him... And she was his friend, so she could be trusted...  
"Alright, I'll teach you," he replied, rolling his eyes when Sakamoto and Takamaki cheered, "but keep in mind that I'm still learning myself, so I may not be that good..."  
The others said they didn't mind, so he just sighed and sat back, smiling slightly. He was glad he could show how useful he was, even if he had to do less for the Phansite...  
The warning bell rang, reminding the teens that they were still at school. After a wave of complaints, the group stood and started to head to class. Takamaki, Kurusu and Mishima were quiet as they headed to their classroom, but it was comfortable. When they got there, they separated and headed to their desks, but Mishima couldn't stop smiling. He was truly happy, for once in his life...


End file.
